Reviews: Nina Kosterina - A Young Communist in Stalinist Russia

"Written for young people, this biography offers a detailed account of post-Bolshevik Russia. Interspersed with historical notes and actual excerpts from her diary is the story of a remarkable girl in love with the arts and dedicated to her homeland. As I read, I couldn't help but be reminded of The Diary of Anne Frank, as both girls' idealism in the midst of extraordinary circumstances formed the centerpieces of their stories. I think this would be a great supplemental read for students studying WWII or various ideologies and I will definitely be recommending it to my Social Studies teaching friends!" - P. Carroll, English teacher posting review on Goodreads

"It is an absolutely remarkable little book! There is so much history of 20th century Russia packed in just 100 pages. The author goes above and beyond to present the world Nina Kosterina lived in. Everything is right on, from explanations about the economy and political parties' fight for power to the smallest details about everyday life. It is a dynamic, well-structured book. The personality of Nina Kosterina is fascinating and the author does an admirable job being a reader's guide through Nina's life. If you wanted your child to understand life in Russia for young people from 1910 to 1970, this book is an excellent choice. It is academic without being boring and brings to focus a life of one exceptional individual while helping you to cover more than half a century of Russian history. I would recommend this for children 10-17. An excellent supplement to Social Studies curriculum for homeschoolers." - Svetlana Kovalkova-Mckenna, children's author

"Nina Kosterina: A Young Communist in Stalinist Russia, by Jennifer Phillips, is loaded with history! But not the boring history we all remember from our childhood (or at least those of you at my age). Jennifer Phillips makes history come alive in this well-packed book. With the help of Nina Kosterina's diary, the author tells a very interesting story from the viewpoint of a young but strong-minded girl in Stalin's youth movement. A lot of research was put into this book and I learned a great deal about a time and place I had forgotten about from all my history courses. Absolutely intriguing! I highly recommend this book if you're into Russian history. And, even if you're not, you will be after reading Nina Kosterina: A Young Communist in Stalinist Russia." - Barbara J. Smith, children's author